Is It Safe To Eat Expired Foods?

Published: Saturday, October 1, 2016, 8:00 [IST]

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You know that the food that you have at hand is not edible anymore when it smells abnormal, it tastes weird or its colour changes. So, when you discover that the food that you have in a can or a packet has passed its expiry date, what do you do? Is it safe to eat these expired foods?

According to latest research, these dates do not actually tell you something about whether the food is safe or not. It has been found that most products are safe to eat long after their expiration date.

Even meat or milk that is clearly starting to spoil is not necessarily dangerous. Very often, you will not eat it due to the smell, and you likely will not like the taste, but in many cases, it is impossible to cause you sickness.

That is because it is not the food that sat on the ledge too much time which makes you sick. It is the food that got infected with salmonella or listeria bacteria, or disorder causing strains of E. coli.

Canned food, especially, can remain safe for a really long time. However, you have to make sure that the can is not damaged. It should not be rusted, corroded, bulging or dented. Avoid using the can if you find it in such conditions.

Again, if you open the can and there is a hissing sound, avoid eating the contents. It means that the food has become contaminated. Eating such food can lead to food poisoning. Also avoid eating the food from the can if it is found leaking. Sometimes you will find cloudy strands on the food. Avoid eating the food at all costs or else you might fall sick.

So, is it safe to eat expired foods? The answer is yes. You can eat foods even after the expiration date but you have to rely on your senses to find out whether it will be safe to be consumed or not.